PRESIDENT Marcos Jr.’s third State of the Nation Address yesterday was his longest to date, lasting almost 10 minutes longer than his previous ones.
In 82 minutes at the podium, the President’s speech left little doubt that he is now flying solo and that his previous alliance with former President Rodrigo Duterte has officially landed in Splitsville.
Marcos, in his traditional Barong Tagalog with dark pants, started promptly at 4:05 p.m.
like he did the past two years and acknowledged the presence of dignitaries, including former Presidents Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Duterte, his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, and Senator-allies Bong Go and Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa were all no-shows.
It turned out a good thing as Marcos hammered on issues linked to Duterte to punctuate their parting of ways — thousands of unsolved killings during the former administration’s campaign against illegal drugs, the proliferation of POGO sites, and passivity in the face of China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea.
The President’s gibe that the extermination of suspects is not part of his government’s anti-illegal drugs strategies was a well-placed cut and received resounding approval.
His ultimatum to terminate all POGO operations and defiant stance against Beijing earned him two standing ovations.
Marcos listed enough highlight points in his third SONA to earn the approval of his audience: the expansion of free public wifi, interconnecting the Visayas and Mindanao power grids, more health services, better pay for teachers, bigger dollar remittances from overseas workers, and compensation of displaced Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia.
The speech was applauded 111 times, his most to date.
But there was no mistaking that his pronouncements that went against the grain of Duterte’s policies were the high points of the afternoon.
Parting ways with the Dutertes was the right call.
